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Strong Chile earthquake sets off tsunami waves Chile quake triggers mass evacuation and tsunami alert
(about 3 hours later)
A powerful earthquake has hit central Chile, causing buildings to sway in the capital Santiago, officials say. One million people have been evacuated in Chile after a powerful earthquake hit the country's central region.
The 8.3-magnitude tremor was centred off the coast, about 144 miles (232km) north-west of the capital. At least five people died when the 8.3-magnitude quake hit at 19:54 local time (22:54 GMT).
Five people are now known to have died, and one million residents have been evacuated from coastal areas. There were reports of panic in some cities. A tsunami alert was originally issued for the entire Chilean coast but has been partly lifted since.
The earthquake produced waves of up to 4.5m (15ft) along the coast in the region of Coquimbo. Chile's deputy interior minister said it was the sixth most powerful quake to hit the country. Seismologists have reported dozens of aftershocks.
The tremor struck at 19:54 local time (22:54 GMT), about 55km west of the city of Illapel, the US Geological Survey said. 'Terror'
Officials said it was at the depth of about 10km (six miles). Three people died of heart attacks and another two were crushed by falling walls and masonry, officials said.
Several strong aftershocks were reported just minutes later. A local mayor reported a sixth victim, a 19-year-old who was crushed to death in the town of Monte Patria, although this has not been confimed.
Addressing the nation live on TV, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet confirmed that two women were killed after rubble fell down on them and a man died of a heart attack. The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the tremor struck off the coast of Chile's Coquimbo region, 46km (29 miles) west of the city of Illapel.
Ms Bachelet said she would travel to the affected areas later on Thursday. The USGS said it was at a depth of 25km, while Chilean seismologists calculated its depth at 11km.
The authorities later raised the confirmed death toll to five, saying that one person was missing. Residents of Illapel fled into the streets in terror, local media reported.
Some homes were reportedly damaged in the city of Illapel. People in coastal areas sought shelter on higher ground while those in cities sought safety in the streets.
The earthquake struck as thousands of Chileans were travelling to the coast ahead of a week of celebrations of the national holidays, or Fiestas Patrias. "The motion began lightly, then stronger and stronger," said Jeannette Matte, a resident of Santiago.
Tsunami alerts were also issued for Peru, Hawaii, parts of California and as far away as New Zealand. "We were on the 12th floor and we were very afraid because it was not stopping. First it was from side to side, then it was like little jumps."
New Zealand authorities warned of unusually strong currents and unpredictable water flows, reported local media. At least one school has evacuated. The quake caused buildings to sway in cities as far away as the Argentine capital Buenos Aires.
The quake was also strongly felt in some Argentine provinces like Mendoza and in the capital Buenos Aires several buildings were evacuated, the BBC's Ignacio de los Reyes reports. Tsunami fears
The earthquake struck as thousands of Chileans were travelling to the coast ahead of a week of celebrations for independence day.
The authorities were quick to issue tsunami alerts keen to avert a repeat of the slow response to the 8.8-magnitude quake in 2010, which devastated large areas of the country.
More than 500 people died in the quake and the tsunami it triggered and memories of the tragedy are still raw.
Tsunami alerts were issued shortly after the quake struck for the entire Chilean coast as well as Peru, Hawaii, parts of California and as far away as New Zealand.
They remain in effect in some of the worst affected areas, but have been lifted in those further away from the quake's epicentre.
Maria Angelica Leiva from the coastal town of Navidad described how she fled her home.
"It's been awful. We ran out of the house with our grandchildren and now we are on a hill hoping it will be over soon," she told Reuters news agency.
"It is all very dark, and we just hope the sea hasn't reached our house," she added.
President Michelle Bachelet said that "once again we must confront a powerful blow from nature".
The president will travel to the affected areas later on Thursday.
Officials said 1,800 people in the worst hit town of Illapel were left without drinking water.
Electricity providers said hundreds of thousands of their clients had no power.
Chile is one of the most seismically active locations on the globe.Chile is one of the most seismically active locations on the globe.
It runs along the boundary between the Nazca and South American tectonic plates. These are vast slabs of the Earth's surface that grind past each other at a rate of up to 80mm per year.It runs along the boundary between the Nazca and South American tectonic plates. These are vast slabs of the Earth's surface that grind past each other at a rate of up to 80mm per year.
In February 2010, a 8.8-magnitude struck off central Chile, killing more than 500 people. Are you in the area affected by the earthquake? Are you on the Chilean coast? Let us know about your experiences. Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your stories.
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